Inflatable apparatus for pressing shirts



Jan. 12,1965 M. R. DOSAL 3,165,244

INFLATABLE APPARATUS FOR PRESSING SHIRTS Filed May 18, 1962 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR M ARTIN ROBERTO DOSAL ATTORNEY Jan. 12, 1965 M. R. DOSAL3,165,244

INFLATABLE APPARATUS FOR PRESSING SHIRTS Filed May 18, 1962 -4Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

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v INVENTOR MARTIN ROBERTO DOSAL ATTORNEY Jan. 12, .1965 M. R. DOSAL3,165,244

\ INFLATABLE APPARATUS FOR PRESSING SHIRTS Filed May 18, 1962 I 4Sheets-Sheet 5 T I! I7 I! a A. g: I 6 e lo 6-d 5 l' l 5-! I 1 n l )1 5-2INVENTOR MARTIN ROBERTO DOSAL ATTORNEY Jan. 12, 1965 M. R. DOSALINFLATABLE APPARATUS FOR PRESSING SHIRTS 4 She ets-Sheet 4 Filed May 18,1962 FIG. 6

\ INVENTOR M R DO SAL United States Patent 3,165,244 INFLATABLEAPPARATUS FUR PRESSENG SHEETS Martin Roberto Dosal, PE. Box 62, h'liamiShores 53, Fla. Filed May 18, 1962, Ser. No. 195,8e1 2 Claims. (Cl.223-67) My invention consists in a new and useful improve ment inapparatus for pressing shirts, and is an improvement upon the apparatusdisclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial Number 51,713filed August 24, 1960, Patent Number 3,066,839, December 4, 1962. Thereare two features of my improved apparatus herein described and claimedwhich I have found by experience greatly improve it over that shown inmy said co-pending application, viz. (1) creating dilferent pressures inthe several parts of the form on which the shirt is mounted, that is thetorso, the arms and the neck, and (2) providing the several holders,which engage the front folds of the shirt to fasten it tightly about theform, with mechanism which controls all of the several holders so as tocoordinate their operation.

(1) The improvement of creating different pressures in the several partsof the form was made because in testing the former apparatus I foundthat shirts of the same size do not always have the same shape. Shirtsof medium size may have different widths in the sleeves. That is, when amedium size shirt with sleeves which were Wider than regular was put onthe form, I notice that when the apparatus started to press the shirtthe sleeves were loose and therefore the pressing was not completed.

Knowing that the amount of air injected into the form is more than theamount of air which will escape through the jets, then is when pressurewill be created in the form and therefore the form will be expanded. Theunit of pressure created is the same in all parts of the form. That is,it is the same in the arms, in the neck and in the torso. This meansthat in every square inch inside the form therewill be the same pressureof air. Knowing that the torso has a greater area than the arms and theneck portions, it is obvious that the torso will be inflated more thanthe arms and neck, because the total pressure in the torso will begreater than the pressure in the arms and the neck. In the case ofpressing a shirt with wider sleeves than regular, one must inject moreair into the form in order to care for the size of the arm portions sothat the sleeves of the shirt will not be loose.

My improvement makes possible creating different pressures in the arms,neck and torso portions. This is done by means of diaphragms inside theform separating the arms, neck and torso portions into dilferentcompartments, and by injecting the amount of air to each compartment bymeans of a flexible hose. In this way, I can expand the arms and neckportions as desired without having to enlarge the torso, and vice-versa.That is, if it is desired to expand the toroso the same procedure can beused.

In the apparatus of my said co-pending application, the amount of airsupplied to the form was varied, depending upon the size of the shirt tobe pressed. On the contrary, in the apparatus having this newimprovement, the amount of air supplied to the form is always the same,by reason of the advantage of distributing the amount of air as neededin each compartment.

(2) The improvement, whereby the operation of the holders isco-ordinated, facilitates the fastening and unfastening the front foldsof the shirt on the form. The improved mechanism comprises a framecarrying the holders whereby in a single operation all the jaws on oneside can be operated to grasp one of the folds and then,

'ice

in a single operation, all the jaws on the other side can be operated tograsp the other fold to fasten the shirt tightly on the form, and then,in a single operation, the jaws on both sides can be operated to releaseboth folds to unfasten the shirt from the form.

While I have illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter fully describecertain specific embodiments of my invention, it is to be distinctlyunderstood that I do not consider my invention to be limited to saidspecific em-,

bodiments but refer for its scope to the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of my apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of my apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the left sleeve of the form.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail of the air pipes, the tube and the valve.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, front elevation of a shirt mounted on the(form.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, end elevation of the holder.

FIG. 7 is a perspective of the base member of the holder.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective of a portion of the basemember of the holder.

FIG. 9 is a perspective of one of the hinged members of the holder.

FIG. 10 is a perspective of one of the coil springs of the holder.

As shown in the drawings, my improved apparatus has a base 1 made mobileby having casters 2 and carrying a casing 3 in which are mounted anelectric motor and a blower driven by the motor (not shown). Suitablymounted on the casing 3 there is an air supply tube 4.

(FIG. 1, 2 and 4). Suitably mounted on the upper end of the tube 4 thereis a frame 5 (FIG. 1) configured to simulate the torso and neck of awearer of a shirt. A form 6 of elastic material impermeable to air issuitably dimensioned and conformed to simulate the torso, neck and armsof a wearer of a shirt, and is mounted on the frame 5 (FIG. 1). The form6 has at its bottom tails 6' which are gathered about the tube 4 andclamped thereon by a ring 4-a to effect an air-tight seal between theform 6 and the tube 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, the form 6 comprises four independent, air-tightcompartments, viz the torso 6-a, the neck 6-1), the right arm 6-0 andthe left arm 6-d. These are produced by closing the outer ends of theneck and arms, and diaphragms 7-a, 7-b and 7-0, respectively, separatingthe torso 6-11 from the neck 6-b and the arms 6-0 and 6-d.

The open upper end 4-b of the tube 4 is disposed in the torso 6-a andair supply pipes 8-a, S-b and 8-0 connect the tube 4 with the neck 6-21and the arms 6-0 and 6-d by extending said pipes through the diaphragmsin any suitable manner, respectively.

A suitable valve is mounted in the tube 4 between the outer end 4-b andthe pipes 8-41, 8-2: and 8-0, with a suitable operating handle 10 whichpasses through an airtight seal to the front of the form 6 (FIG. 2).

I provide a holder H (FIGS. 1, 2, 5, 6 to 10) for gripping the shirt Sabout the form 6. The holder H comprises a base I-I-ll and a pair ofmembers H-Z hinged to the base H-ll by coil springs 11-3. The base H-lis in the form of a T bar (FIG. 7) and has on its bottom threesymmetrically spaced plates 11, 12 and 13. Each of these plates isformed with a jaw 14 at each of its ends. Each of the members H-Z hasthree L-shaped brackets 15, 16 and 17. Each of these brackets is formedwith a jaw 18. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 10, each of the springs H-3 hasone end provided with a hook 19 engaging the plate 11 and the other endprovided with a hook 20 engaging the bracket 15. Similar springs H4: areprovided at brackets 16 and 17. The parts are so related that thesprings H-3 bias the members H2 to cause the jaws 14 and 18 to co-act.The base 11-1 has anupstanding post H 4. The holder H is suitablyattached to the front of the form 6 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 5). in the frontfolds 5-1 of the shirt S there are disposed nigid rods S2.

The folds S1 enclosing the rods S2 are gripped by' the jaws 14 and 18 ofthe holder H, thus gripping the shirt S closely about the form 6 (FIG.5).

It will be noted (FIGS. 2, 5, 7 and 8) that the base H-l of the holder His properly slotted to allow passage of the valve operating handle 10 topass therethrough.

Having described the structural details of my improved apparatus, I willnow describe its use and operation.

Preparatory to pressing the shirt S, the rods 5-2 are placed in thefront folds S1 of the shirt S and the shirt S is so placed about theform 6 (FIG. 5) as to position the folds Sll to be gripped by the jaws14418 of the holder H mounted on the form 6 (FIGS. 1 and 2). This isdone by pressing one of the side members H-Z. toward the base H-l,opening the jaws 1448 on that side, inserting the fold S1 on that sideinto the jaws 1448, and releasing the side member I-I2 to cause the jaws14-18 to grip the fold 8-1. This operation is then repeated on the otherside and the shirt S is thus tightly secured upon the form 6 to bepressed by the expansion of the elastic form 6.

It is obvious from the FIGS. 1 and 4 that, when the blower 3 isenergized to supply air under pressure through the tube 4 into the form6 and valve 9 almost closes, the open end 4-11 of the tube 4, the amountof air which goes from the end 4-b is reduced, letting air out throughpipes 8-a, 8-b and S-c into the neck 6-12 and arms 6-c and 6-d, thusincreasing the pressure in them. If on the contrary the valve 9 opensthe end 4-!) of the tube 4, the amount of air which goes out from thetube 4 will be bigger and less air will go through the tubes decreasingthe pressure and therefore the dimensions in the neck and arms. Thus itwill be understood that, by manipulation of the valve 9 the degree ofpressure in the torso, neck and armsof the form 6 may be properlycontrolled according to the sizes of the shirt being pressed.

When the shirt S has been properly pressed, by pressing both sidemembers I-I-Z toward the base H1 of the holder H, all of the jaws 14-18will open. simultaneously releasing the shirt S from the form 6.

- a pair of diaphragms mountedin said form between the Having describedmy invention, what I claim is:

1. In an inflatable apparatus for pressing a shirt, the combination of aform including a torso having neck and arms to simulate a shirt to bepressed, said form being made of impermeable elastic material, and theouter ends of the neck and arms of said form being closed; an open-endedtube on which said form is mounted having the open end of said tubereceived in the torso of said form; means adapted to effect an air-tightseal between said form and said tube; a diaphragm mounted in said formbetween the torso and the neck of said forrn;

arms and the torso of said form, said diaphragms producing fourindependent air-tight compartments in saidform; a pipe connecting saidtube with the neck compartment; a pair of pipes connecting said tubewith the armcompartments; a valve disposed in said tube between the openend of said tube and the connections of said pipes to said tube; andmeans adapted to supply air under pressure to said tube. 9

2. In an apparatus for pressing a shirt, the combination of a formconfigured to simulate the body of a wearer of the shirt to be pressed,said form being made of impermeable elastic material; a plurality ofdiaphragms mounted in said form providing a plurality ofindepend-- entair-tight compartments in said form; an open-ended tube on which saidform is mounted, the open end of said tube being received in one of saidcompartments of said form; means adapted to elfect an air-tight sealbetween said form and said tube; a plurality of pipes connecting saidtube with the other of said compartments; a valve disposed in said tubebetween the open end of said tube and the connections of said pipes tosaid tube; and means adapted to supply air under pressure to said tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. IN AN INFLATABLE APPARATUS FOR PRESSING A SHIRT, THE COMBINATION OF AFORM INCLUDING A TORSO HAVING NECK AND ARMS TO SIMULATE A SHIRT TO BEPRESSED, SAID FORM BEING MADE OF IMPERMEABLE ELASTIC MATERIAL, AND THEOUTER ENDS OF THE NECK AND ARMS OF SAID FORM BEING CLOSED, AN OPEN-ENDEDTUBE ON WHICH SAID FORM IS MOUNTED HAVING THE OPEN END OF SAID TUBERECEIVED IN THE TORSO OF SAID FORM; MEANS ADAPTED TO EFFECT AN AIR-TIGHT SEAL BETWEEN SAID FORM AND SAID TUBE; A DIAPHRAGM MOUNTED IN SAIDFORM BETWEEN THE TORSO AND THE NECK OF SAID FORM; A PAIR OF DIAPHRAGMMOUNTED IN SAID FORM BETWEEN THE ARMS AND THE TORSO OF SAID FORM, SAIDDIAPHRAGM PRODUCING FOUR INDEPENDENT AIR-TIGHT COMPARTMENTS IN SAIDFORM; A PIPE CONNECTING SAID TUBE WITH THE NECK COMPARTMENT; A PAIR OFPIPES CONNECTING SAID TUBE WITH THE ARM COMPARTMENTS; A VALVE DISPOSEDIN SAID TUBE BETWEEN THE OPEN